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Parent poster understood that, and suggests the incorrect usage is becoming standard, as people apply a simplified form of the rule. In the same way, one might
by rm445 12y ago
Parent poster understood that, and suggests the incorrect usage is becoming standard, as people apply a simplified form of the rule. In the same way, one might expect "whose" to be phased out in favour of an incorrect "who's".
I'm not convinced they are correct (note deliberate use of the ungrammatical but popular singular 'they'), because hyper-correctism seems to be increasing as well. The population seems to be splitting into those who can't use correct grammar, and sticklers, with a reduced middle ground of the relaxed.
- baddox 12y agoIndeed, I understand that fully. My point is that the English language is not prescriptive in practice. In fact, even if you're a prescriptivist, you could easily argue that "its" is a special case, since most English possessives are formed with apostrophe s.
- anigbrowl 12y agoPlease stop making excuses for illiteracy. It's nonsense like this that contributes to the decline of educational standards.
- baddox 12y agoIt's not an excuse for illiteracy. Language trends change over time, including among highly educated people.
- jrockway 12y agoIn this case, I don't think the highly-educated are intentionally using "it's" instead of "its". It's merely a common typo.
- baddox 12y agoNot yet, no. I only said the trend appears to be changing.
- mpclark 12y agoIts rediculous but I think we're going to loose this battle
- LyndsySimon 12y agoThere, they're, their. It'll be OK.
- laeus 12y ago*were
- mpclark 12y agoIts rediculous but I think we're going to loose this battle
- NegativeK 12y agoIf its versus it's implied someone is illiterate, we'd all be completely uneducated because we didn't write in Middle English.
- smorrow 12y agoIt isn't a special case. (its : his) :: (it's : he's) So you don't say "it's" for the same reason you don't say "hi's".